Walkers serve as stable walking aids which assist in the ambulation of people with impaired walking ability due to physical infirmity, disabilities, or injuries. Walkers generally take the form of a four-legged metal frame positioned in front of the user, with handles which the user grasps while walking, thereby providing both stability and weight bearing assistance.
Many walker users employ their walkers incorrectly, by advancing the walker too far ahead of their body while walking. Instead of the proper transfer of weight through the forearms to the walker, undue stress is placed on the user's hands, leading to cramping. Furthermore, advancing the walker too far ahead causes the user's back to stoop, resulting in deteriorating posture, and back, shoulder, and neck pain.
Walker devices which provide support to the user's forearms exist in the prior art. One such example combines a crutch-like extension with the walker frame, and braces the user's forearms and hands in fixed positions using straps. However, the straps of the prior art walker device prevent the user from independently using the walker, as the user would be physically incapable of applying or releasing the straps. Were the straps to be excluded from such device, correct placement of the user's hands would no longer be assured, resulting in potential improper walking posture.
There exists a need for an improved walker which corrects the user's walking posture by ensuring the user's hands, elbows, and forearms are correctly positioned for safe ambulation without unduly restricting the user's arms so that the walker is suitable for independent everyday usage.
In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.